Orchestra news - 10/4/07

1) Register to have automatic blog alerts
2) Our first concert is Oct. 23
3) Student concert attire and attendance expectation
4) Practice logs
5) Concert review policy
6) Outreach
7) Upcoming local concerts
8) Entertainment books and wreath/poinsettia sale

1) On our blog, at the bottom, there's an option to sign up for post alerts. This way we don't have to send you an email from this address every time we post something at the website. http://www.titanorchestras.blogspot.com/ (just a reminder)

2) We will have flyers available soon for our Oct. 23 concert. Please think of inviting neighbors and friends who have younger children - being an audience member at a concert is something that actually takes some practice and training. A high school concert (especially one of ours with this great selection of music) is a great training ground to learn when you clap, when you don't, how to sit still, etc... The concert will feature works by Mouret, Bach, Holst, and contemporary composers Thom Sharp and Michael Maclean - and more. The concert will hopefully not run longer than an hour - so, bedtimes can be observed.

3) Please consult your green handbook (if you've lost yours or don't have a copy, I can send you a pdf if you'd like) for concert attire guidelines. Men (students) need to purchase a tuxedo shirt, black bowtie and cummerbund to go with their tux (and black socks and black dress shoes). Women need to wear opaque tights or hose and a closed toe dress shoe with a closed heel or heel strap (nothing like seeing a violinist trip as she enters stage...). No long dangling earrings or other ostentatious jewelry.

All students are expected to attend the concert. Their attendance, attitude, discipline, and preparedness will all count heavily in the grading process. Call time will be announced next week (I'm still figuring out what we will be needing) - additionally, any extra rehearsals that may be needed will be announce by an extra email or in this newsletter next week. Of course, if there are extenuating circumstances that come up, please stay in touch with me (Ms. Silberman).

4) All orchestra members (except Advanced Orchestra) are expected to keep a practice log. I do not expect parents to check these logs - students are required to keep them updated and turn them into me each Monday. All students at this point have either classroom music or additional 'practice' music packets that they can be working on. I can give students some individual
attention when requested.

5) This week, all students were given information about how to write a concert review, complete with a sample review that I wrote after attending last week's SCO concert. Over the course of the year students are to review 4 concerts - 2 per semester. Not all of these concerts need to be live symphony concerts. At least one may be a CD review, one may be a DVD review, and one may be of one of our or another school's concert - this is in an effort to make the concert reviews both relevant not too much of a time burden for students. (Of course, if students can attend live concerts with stringed instruments, it's the most relevant and inspiration situation for them).

6) I had an opportunity to visit Walker Middle School this week. This is part of what will be a year-long campaign to more closely align the West schools' orchestra programs. Eventually, students here at West will have an opportunity to mentor a student at one of the 5 schools that
feeds into West. It's my dream that all students are involved in this program. The mentor program will probably launch in the next month or two.

7) Here are some upcoming concerts that might be good to review:
This Friday, Oct. 5 - 7pm - Showcasing Salem Stars (including a string quartet backing a guitar) - Elsinore
Saturday, Oct. 6 - 7:30pm Leo Kottke - Elsinore (this is NOT a string concert, but Leo Kottke is an incredible musician and would be well worth a listen - I will accept a review of this concert)
Sunday, Oct. 14 - 3pm - Camerata Musica
Tuesday, Oct. 16 - 8pm - Oregon Symphony in Salem
Saturday, Oct. 27 - 7:30pm - Salem Chamber Orchestra (in partnership with Salem Youth Symphony)

8) For every $20 entertainment book sold, a student's individual account will be credited at least $8. Books can be checked out in class - see your class president. Checks should be written to WSHS Music Boosters. Checks, cash and/or unsold books are due back at the end of October. You are responsible for the books you check out. ALSO, you might want to be thinking about the wreath/poinsettia sale which will start mid-to-late October. If you had people you sold to last year, dust off the list and plan to talk with them again this year. This money also goes to your individual account and can be used until graduation. More information to come.

Happy Practicing (students)!
:) ~Ms. Silberman